Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson also called for a stepped-up military role in a statement today.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency takes the lead in bringing federal assistance to local governments. But Rubio, who visited Puerto Rico on Monday, says in a letter to the president: ” There is no clear command, control, and communication between local officials on the ground and federal agencies, and many roads and bridges remained unpassable, making it even more difficult for repair crews to restore power and communications to areas of the island outside of San Juan. As a result, significant lifesaving resources are sitting in containers at the Port of San Juan, with no way to move that assistance to those who need it most.”

Rubio’s letter continues: “This unique situation requires a well-coordinated response led by the Department of Defense (DOD), which is the only entity capable of executing a recovery effort of this scale and complexity. DOD is internationally recognized for its humanitarian relief efforts and its expertise is required now more than ever. I urge you, as commander-in-chief, to make DOD the lead agency in the ground phase of recovery efforts…Unless DOD steps in quickly to establish emergency logistical assistance, it is my fear this situation will deteriorate rapidly.”